The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1887-09-24
THE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION

as IOllOWS.
First-As to the presidential success
sion:-The former law gave the success
sion in the case of the death, resigna-
ton, removal or disability Of both the
president and vice president, to the
president of the senate, "or, if none, to
the speaker of the house" and dl-
rected the secretary of state to call
a new election within a specified time.
This was unsatisfactory because 1t
might involve change in the political
character of the administration con-
trary to the peoples will, through
the president of the senate or speak
er of the house being of the party op-
posed to the administration chosen
by the people.
The new law gives the succession,
in fixed order, to the cabinet Off
GERS, beginning with the secretary of
state and passing to the secretary OF
the treasury, of war, the attorney
general, the postmaster general, the
secretary of the navy and the secre-
tary of the interior. 1t is supposed
that the order of succession was
guided by thesfact that the four first
named were cabinet officers from the
origin of the government The post
master general was not member OF
the cabinet, but only the head of a
bureau, until General Jackson's time.
The navy was originally in charge Of
the war department. The first secre-
tary of the interior was appointed in
l849.
Second-As to the electoral count:
The new law requires the electors to
meet in the different states on the
second Monday in January instead of
the first Wednesday following the
election, which gives more time for
the settlement OF local election dis
putes. The new law declares that if
any state has by law provided for a
settlement of controversies concern
ing the choice of electors, and if all
controversies are settled according to
such laws six days before the meet
ing Of the electors, this shall be final
and conclusive in the count of the
electoral vote by congress. When
the two houses meet in joint body to
count the electoral votes the new law
provides that where objections are
made to the vote of any state which
has Isent up its electoral vote in ac-
cordance with the law the votes shall
be counted, unless both houses, act
ing separately, shall agree not
to count them, and in case two sets of
electors claim, that set shall be recog-
nized which has the certificate of the
governor of the state, unless both
houses concur in ordering otherwise.
The new law also requires the joint
meeting to be in the hall of the house
OF representatives; and it also settles
another disputed point, much dis
cussed in the Tilden-Hayes contest,
by plainly forbidding the president of |
the senate from counting" the votes. |
The important changes made by the |
new law are (D that it enables the |
states, by their own legislation, to |
provide for a speedy settlement of all
local election disputes, and thus pro-
vides against contests; and (2) that it |
declares that no states vote shall be |
thrown out except by the agreement
of both houses.
A correspondent asks us how the
vote OF the new house will stand in |
case the election should faIl to the
house. He raises here a very interest
ing question. In case the election
falls to the house, by reason of no can
didate having majority of the whole
number OF electors, the vote in the
house must be taken by states, and
the constitution provides that "a ma
iority Of all the states shall be neces-
sary to a choice"
In the next house of representatives
the Democrats have a majority in
eighteen state delegations, the repub-
licans in nineteen, New Hampshire is
equally divided. Our correspondent |
will observe that there can be no
election by the house, as nineteen is
not a majority of all the states"
In this case, the senate, under the
constitution, proceeds to elect the
vice-president, who, under the consti-
tuition, becomes president In elect
ing a vice-president "a majority of the
whole number of senators shall be |
necessary to a choice" Now, suppos-
ing no changes through contested
seats, the senate will stand-Demo-l
Gratis, thirty-seven; Republicans,
thirty-nine. But one senator, Mr.. |
Riddleberger of Virginia, is regarded
by the Republicans as a very uncer-
tain quantity. II he should not vote